Cleveland Partners with Middlesbrough College to Support T Level Students

Cleveland is proud to partner with Middlesbrough College to offer students real-life work experience at our depot and workshop.

This mutually beneficial relationship with the local college enables students to learn from an experienced team with the hopes that they will eventually become an apprentice within the business.

The partnership came about when HR Advisor Joely Clark identified a need for additional welder fabricators at the workshop to support the increase in container modification projects.

Spotting an opportunity for us to develop young, local talent by offering hands-on experience, Joely reached out to Middlesbrough College to see if we could help launch the careers of its students here at Cleveland.

The team at Middlesbrough College were thrilled with this proposal, and a site visit and presentation were organised for the Level 3 Welding Students to learn more about the opportunities available at the company.

Following a successful induction, we are delighted to welcome Cole Smith, Thomas Hodgson, and Luke Boyes to the depot one day a week to advance their welding and container modification skills.

When I came to the depot for the first time to visit the site and see the work that Cleveland does, I became excited at the idea of working here. All three of us are really enjoying coming every Thursday, and we’ll even be coming in during our half term week to spend more time learning and developing our new skills.

Thomas Hodgson, Level 3 Welding Student at Middlesbrough College

The T Level course is a great way of seeing if the students we have coming here once a week are going to be the future the Cleveland workforce, and the three students we have are on the right path to becoming our apprentices in May. They are so eager to learn everything about the modification side of the business and their enthusiasm about potentially working for Cleveland is excellent to see.

Richie Morning, Depot Supervisor at Cleveland Containers

T Level placements offer a unique opportunity for employers who want to shape the way young people are trained to meet their future needs. 

They also address the pain points that many employers report, including lack of hands-on experience.

The qualifications build on the idea of work experience by inviting learners to fully integrate themselves into the business – in turn, giving them more time to master essential skills and competencies.

Having originally approached us to take on two students, we were delighted to hear that the team were in fact so impressed with our learners, they decided to offer three placements in total. 

These types of opportunities are vital when it comes to building skills, developing careers, and helping young people in our region thrive. We’re always looking to work with local employers who recognise the value in programmes such as T Levels and apprenticeships and can’t wait to see where our partnership with Cleveland goes.

Phillip Blewitt, Assistant Principal of Construction, Engineering and TTE